Equalizing electric coupling.



UtYlUtS, 5Y-5l was. 1'6 3 PATEHTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

' J. KLOIFENSTEIN. EQUALIZ-ING ELECTRIC COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 9, 1902.

4 i i g J. ii

I Eii H iiiii f iii UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EQUALIZING ELECTRIC COU PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,284, dated September 29, 1903.

Application filed August 9, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH KLOPFENSTEIN,

' a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Equalizing Electric. Couplers, of which the following is a specifi cation.

The present invention has for its object an apparatus called an equalizingelectric cou pier, which consists in a construction permitting the employment of lamps of low voltage and high amperageon systems of distribution of electricity of any voltage whatever.

The employment of lamps of low voltage results in a sensible economy in the consumption of electricity transformed into light on account of the very slight loss of caloric by radiation, the surface of their filaments being very much diminished with relation to the volume comparatively with lamps of high voltage.

It is impossible to employ economical lamps on distribution systems the elei tromotive force of which. never gets below one hundred and ten volts, because, as exp :ience has shown, for a medium power of tr-z'a to sixteen candles they cannot exceed twenty to thirty volts.

The apparatus of my invention permits, for example, the utilization on distribution systems of one hundred and ten volts of lamps of twenty-two volts. It also renders possible the installationof lamps in simple derivation, as if it was a question of ordinary lamps with voltage equal to that of the sector of distribution. In addition the extinction of one lamp does not entail, as in the single-series systern, the extinction of all the other lamps in circuit. This apparatus therefore renders possible and practical the employment of lamps of low voltage on the sector.

-My equalizing coupler comprises a box of metal or-olher material closed on all sides.

Serial No. 119.073. (No model.)

are established in the special manner indicated by the schematic drawingsannexed hereto. The current arriving at +13 goes dipost (1, traverses the exterior wiring E F to reenter the coupler by the binding-post d to go directly to the binding-post -B' and return to the line of the sector by that bindingpost. The line F therefore permits of the feeding of lamps having'a voltage equal to that of the sector. Since the difference of potential between (1' and d is exactly that of the sector, itis designed for the feeding of lamps which must generally be lighted and extinguished individually in the installation, lamps for cellars, closets, 850., beinginteriuittently lighted.

A derivation g, taken on the binding-post +8, leads the current at c to the line H. This cu rrentafter having traversed the lamps medium of the bridge m gains by e the line I and rciiuters at the coupler at c after having traversed the lamps of the line I. In this way the current traverses successively the lines J K L to e where it returns to line --B' by the derivation two volts are placed in derivation on each one of the lines l'l'I J K L, in all fifty lamps. It will be easily understood from the foregoing that the voltage available between e and e e and c, &c., will be equal to that of the sector at +13 and B divided by the number of the derivations H I J K L. Thus, for exam- 1'lO 1s one hundred and ten \olisz --22 yolts. From the foregoing it may also be easily understood that the extinction, whether desired or accidental, of any lamp of one of the lines H I J K L will not entail the extinction of the. other lamps'.' The passage ofthe current not being iuterrupted anywhere, there can only result a slight dilfercnce of voltage on the line thus thrown out of equilibrium. However, so that this dilfercnce of voltage should not be produced and that the extinction of the whole of thelamps of a line becomes possible without producing a disturbance in the other lines derivations n w? n, &c., are taken -:-.at c m m 111 30., which correspond, re-

spective to the bipding posts c c 0 &c.,

Ten lamps of twenty-' rectly, on the one hand, by g to the bindingreturns to the coupling at e and through the pie, it the eleciromotive force a! the sector.

of the coupler. These binding-posts in their turn are-put into relation at points snitably chosen with accumulator-batteries 0, each section of which 19' 19 13 17 19 is in derivation on c c c c c and consequently,

through the medium of the connections of the rally in circuit and furnishes between these binding-posts a counter electromotive force equal to the electromotive force which tends to exist between these binding-posts.

The battery of the accumulators is connected as a reservoir to the line and permits in case of necessity of continuing the lighting for some time if the sector should lack current, which is an appreciable advantage in the lighting of public establishments.

It is possible in the case of lighting an cetablishment where the number of lamps lighted at one time is sensibly constant to totally dispense with the battery 0 in using the line F for the individual lamps with intermittentlighting. This deviation d 01 line F, is cre ated with this object.

The advantage of this apparatus is to permit the employment of economical lamps of low voltage on the sectors distribu ting at high relative electromotive force without danger of extinguishing all the lamps of an installation as soon as one lamp has accidentally been extinguished, as happens in the mounting in single series,which cannot be practically used. It permits at the same time of an easy installation without any complication in the mounting, this being efiected in single derivation on each one of'the elementary secondary lines H I J K L, 850., as in the installations with ordinary lamps of one hundred and ten volts.

It will thus be seen that the invent-ion provides an arrangement adapted to be connected to a supply-line having a relatively high electromotive force and having 'a circuit which may include lamps or other translat- In these conditions the coming devices having a voltage equal to that or the supply and also having a derived circuit composed of a number of sections connected in series, each section including lamps of a relatively low voltage and arranged so that the sum of the voltages ofthe sections shall equal that of the supply-line, There is also connected in derivation to these sections a secondary battery each section of which is connected between the terminals of two lowvoltage sections, and with this arrangement the purpose and object of the invention can be carried out in that the extinction of any one or more of the lamps of high voltage does not affect the low-voltage lamps, and the extinction of one or more of' the low-voltage lamps does not result in the extinction of all of them, and the extinction of a group or section of low-voltage lamps does not disturb the others.

What is claimed is 1. An equalizing-coupleradapted to be connected to a supply-line of relatively high electromotive force, having a circuit including lamps of a voltage equal to that of the supply, and a derived circuit composed of a number of sections, each section including lamps of low voltage, the sum of the voltages of the sections equaling that of the supply-line, and a secondary battery composed of sections, each section connected in derivation between two low-voltagelamp sections, substantially as described.

2. An equalizing-coupler comprising a case having terminals for the supply-circuit, a series of terminals and lam p-circuits connected thereto, a series of terminals with batterysections connected thereto, and circuits and connections between said terminals, substantially as described, whereby lamps of different voltage may be supplied from the mains and utilized without interference with each other by con necting battery-sections between the lamp-circuit terminals.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH KLOPFENSTEIN.

Witnesses:

CLAUDIUS LUSSON,- EDWARD P. MACLEAN. 

